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Boomtown (2002 TV series)

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Boomtown
Image
Genre
Created byGraham Yost
Starring
ComposerPhilip Giffin
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes24
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time45 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 29, 2002 (2002-09-29) –
December 28, 2003 (2003-12-28)

Boomtown is an American action drama television series created by Graham Yost, that aired on NBC from September 29, 2002 to December 28, 2003. The show's title is a nickname for its setting: Los Angeles, California.

Overview

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The show portrayed a criminal investigation each week, seen from various points of view: the police officers and detectives, the lawyers, paramedics, reporters, victims, witnesses, and criminals.

The series premiered on September 29, 2002. The first season order was for 18 episodes. After disappointing ratings, the series was retooled: the reliance on non-linear storytelling was lessened, some characters were written out, and others were introduced. Ratings did not improve, and the series was canceled, with the last episode airing on December 28, 2003.

Despite its low viewership, Boomtown received several awards and nominations, including Emmy Awards, Golden Satellite Awards, and Television Critics Association Awards.

Cast and characters

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Image
Boomtown season 2 promotional image

Main

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  • Donnie Wahlberg as Los Angeles Police Department Detective II Joel Stevens
  • Neal McDonough as Los Angeles County Assistant District Attorney David McNorris
  • Mykelti Williamson as Los Angeles Police Department Detective II Bobby 'Fearless' Smith
  • Gary Basaraba as Los Angeles Police Department Police Officer III Ray Hechler
  • Nina Garbiras as Andrea Little, a reporter (season one)
  • Lana Parrilla as Teresa Ortiz, a paramedic in season one, and a rookie police officer in season two
  • Jason Gedrick as Los Angeles Police Department Police Officer II Tom Turcotte

Recurring

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Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast released
118September 29, 2002 (2002-09-29)April 20, 2003 (2003-04-20)
26September 26, 2003 (2003-09-26)December 28, 2003 (2003-12-28)

Season 1 (2002–03)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
11"Pilot"Jon AvnetGraham YostSeptember 29, 2002 (2002-09-29)210113.45[1]
A drive-by shooting is investigated from several angles. We meet Fearless, detective and Gulf War veteran with a list of things to do before he dies, and a habit of telling stories; Joel, a detective who is still attempting to hide the suicide attempt of his wife Kelly; Teresa, the kind-hearted paramedic who was on duty the night of said attempt; David McNorris, the manipulative deputy district attorney; reporter Andrea Little, his secret mistress; Ray Hechler, a cop under suspicion of corruption; and his young partner Tom, a mediocre officer who is frequently criticized by his father.
22"Possession"Jon AvnetGraham YostOctober 6, 2002 (2002-10-06)100211.03[2]
After a telemarketer overhears a murder plot on the phone, Joel, Fearless, Ray and Tom scramble to find him; while David and Andrea find the pressure of their affair building.
33"The Squeeze"Jon AvnetMichelle AshfordOctober 13, 2002 (2002-10-13)100310.43[3]
A prominent attorney gets murder charges against him dropped, and everyone takes different paths in an attempt to get him to confess.
44"Reelin' in the Years"Bobby RothLaurence AndriesOctober 20, 2002 (2002-10-20)100410.55[4]
After Joel and Fearless solve the murder of Tom's father's former partner, Tom and Andrea face their past.
55"All Hallow's Eve"Frederick King KellerGraham YostOctober 27, 2002 (2002-10-27)10058.65[5]
On Halloween, David is stunned when Andrea breaks up with him on the same night that Marian accuses him of adultery; Ray and Tom go undercover to stop pumpkins thieves; while Joel and Fearless try to save Teresa - whose ambulance has been hijacked.
66"The Freak"Jon AvnetMichelle AshfordNovember 3, 2002 (2002-11-03)100610.08[6]
Ray and Tom investigate a bizarre case while Fearless risks his life to save a little girl, because of a haunting memory of an old war buddy.
77"Insured by Smith & Wesson"Peter WernerStory by : Chris Brancato & Albert J. Salke
Teleplay by : Chris Brancato		November 10, 2002 (2002-11-10)100810.51[7]
When Ray goes undercover into a hostage situation inside a sporting goods store, he discovers that the store manager is a former actor of Ray's favorite 1980s TV show. While attempting to convince the manager to help him save the day, Ray's illusions are shattered.
88"Crash"Jeremy KaganFred GolanNovember 17, 2002 (2002-11-17)100910.62[8]
Fearless's ex-girlfriend joins him and Joel on a case to crack an insurance fraud ring.
99"The David McNorris Show"Peter WernerLaurie D. ArentDecember 1, 2002 (2002-12-01)10109.19[9]
While Joel and Fearless investigate the death of a teenage girl, McNorris makes some dirty deals which collapse just as his marriage does.
1010"Coyote"Alex ZakrzewskiRonald A. BurlaDecember 8, 2002 (2002-12-08)10079.78[10]
Joel and Fearless must convince Andrea to face a psychotic homeless man who she went to school with to find a kidnapped teenager.
1111"Monster's Brawl"Rodrigo GarcíaJavier Grillo-MarxuachJanuary 5, 2003 (2003-01-05)101110.54[11]

On a tip from Teresa, Joel, Fearless, Tom and a slowly falling apart David team up to convict a group of filmmakers inspiring homeless people to kill each other.

Guest star: Neil Patrick Harris as Peter Corman.
1212"Sinaloa Cowboys"Michael W. WatkinsGraham YostJanuary 12, 2003 (2003-01-12)101211.44[12]
A simple domestic disturbance call becomes a life-changing event for Ray and Tom as they find themselves in the middle of a drug war, while Joel and Teresa grow closer.
1313"Home Invasion"Tucker GatesJoel Anderson ThompsonMarch 2, 2003 (2003-03-02)101310.99[13]
Joel and Fearless must reluctantly let Andrea in on their case when they discover a group of killers who stake out a family home before torturing and killing the family.
1414"Execution"Jon AvnetLaurence AndriesMarch 9, 2003 (2003-03-09)101410.27[14]
On the night of his execution, a criminal gives McNorris an ultimatum: save his life or risk the death of a kidnapped cop. While McNorris attempts to save him, Ray and his fellow officers attempt to take a more pragmatic course, unaware of what they are up against.
1515"Storm Watch"Jon AvnetStory by : Chris Brancato & Kevin Dunigan
Teleplay by : Chris Brancato		March 16, 2003 (2003-03-16)101510.64[15]
Ray, Joel, Tom and Fearless are locked down in the station along with their fellow cops when a mole is suspected and Ray has no choice but to ask Andrea - who almost cost him his badge a year earlier - to help; meanwhile McNorris continues on a downward spiral.
1616"Fearless"Frederick King KellerStory by : Graham Yost & Mykelti Williamson
Teleplay by : Graham Yost		March 30, 2003 (2003-03-30)10169.72[16]
In a rather different episode (featuring only one point of view, Fearless's), Fearless investigates the shooting of a drug dealer, and faces his past.
1717"Blackout"Jack BenderFred GolanApril 13, 2003 (2003-04-13)10178.74[17]
With his wife having left him, and Andrea refusing to take him back, McNorris finds himself drinking into blackouts, which ultimately leads him to wake up with blood on his car. When he learns about a hit-and-run incident, he begins to act fearfully, and his suspicions tip off Joel, who is working with Fearless, Ray and Tom to crack the case.
1818"Lost Child"Frederick King KellerMichelle AshfordApril 20, 2003 (2003-04-20)101811.35[18]
Already agonizing over his feelings for Teresa, Joel is put on the case of a kidnapped newborn. While Fearless, Andrea, Ray and David (preparing for rehab) investigate, Joel finds himself finally confronting his wife's suicide attempt and the death of their newborn daughter; while Tom finds himself being coerced into snitching on Joel.

Season 2 (2003)

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No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
191"The Love of Money"Jon AvnetGraham YostSeptember 26, 2003 (2003-09-26)20017.77[19]

Joel, Fearless, Ray and Tom work together to investigate a group of cop killers, who threaten Joel's family. Joel has Robbery/Homicide detective Katherine Pierce reassigned to their division to assist. Meanwhile, David recovers in rehab and Teresa considers her future.

Guest star: Rebecca De Mornay as Sabrina Fithian.
202"Inadmissible"Jon AvnetAnne McGrailOctober 3, 2003 (2003-10-03)20026.65[20]

Ray and Katherine testify against the cop killers; David comes out of rehab and gets straight onto the case despite his recent alcoholism; and Teresa joins the police academy.

Guest stars: Rebecca De Mornay as Sabrina Fithian, Stacy Keach as Mac McNorris, and Roma Maffia as Sally Jacobson.
213"Wannabe"Jon AvnetFred GolanDecember 27, 2003 (2003-12-27)20034.49[21]
Joel and Fearless investigate when Teresa discovers a body at the police academy; Ray, Tom and Katherine work to stop a gang of thieves who pose as police officers.
224"Haystack"Frederick King KellerClyde PhillipsDecember 27, 2003 (2003-12-27)20045.28[21]
A gang of fleeing bank robbers take a group of hostages at a shopping center, including Teresa.
235"The Hole-in-the-Wall Gang"Kevin HooksLaurence AndriesDecember 27, 2003 (2003-12-27)20055.77[21]

A frat boy killed and buried in the wall of a frat house twenty years ago is found, and David, Katherine, Joel and Fearless investigate.

Guest star: LeVar Burton as Marvin Lloyd.
246"The Big Picture"Frederick King KellerLaurie D. ArentDecember 28, 2003 (2003-12-28)20068.89[21]

Not following his instincts on a domestic disturbance call, Tom is horrified when the woman goes missing and the chief suspect is murdered; so he works with Katherine in a desperate effort to find the truth.

Guest star: Virginia Madsen as Erika Ashland.

Reception

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Critical response

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Boomtown received largely positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 96% with an average score of 10/10 based on 26 reviews. The website's critical consensus is, "Boomtown gives the police procedural innovative pep with its dense ensemble and warring perspectives, bringing a refreshing moral ambiguity to primetime."[22] On Metacritic, the first season has a score of 89 out of 100 based on 31 reviews, signifying "universal acclaim".[23]

Retrospective

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In retrospect, series creator Graham Yost suggested that Boomtown may have been better suited to a cable network, stating, "Boomtown was perhaps, in retrospect, better suited for HBO or FX." However, he noted that HBO was already airing The Wire, while FX had The Shield, leaving NBC as the most viable home for the series. According to Yost, NBC initially embraced the show’s Rashomon-style narrative structure, but its disappointing ratings eventually led the network to question its unconventional approach: "When the ratings weren't spectacular, what happens is everyone questions everything. 'Maybe that's the problem. Maybe it's the music. Maybe it's this. Maybe it's that.' And the doubt becomes corrosive."

Yost also recalled that while the producers were campaigning for a second season, NBC discouraged them from producing further episodes similar to one in which Fearless, portrayed by Mykelti Williamson, confronts his childhood sexual abuse. Although Yost remained uncertain whether compromising the show’s original approach was the right decision, he described the episode as "one of the best episodes we ever did", adding, "I'm extraordinarily proud of that." Reflecting on the show’s abbreviated second season, Yost acknowledged having mixed feelings about the compromises made in an effort to keep the series alive.[24]

Donnie Wahlberg, who portrayed Detective Joel Stevens, also spoke fondly of his experience on the series: "I had a great time. I loved going to work every day. I loved my character, I loved the show. I loved the people I worked with." Discussing its cancellation, Wahlberg acknowledged the pressures surrounding a network television series, citing the different expectations of audiences, the network and sponsors. He concluded that if the series could not meet those expectations, "then the show stops."[25]

Awards and nominations

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Awards and nominations for Boomtown
Year Award Category Recipient Result
2003American Film Institute AwardTV Program of the YearWon
Casting Society of America's Artios AwardBest Casting for TV, Dramatic PilotMeg Liberman and Camille H. PattonNominated
Imagen Foundation AwardBest Supporting Actress - TelevisionLana ParrillaWon
NAACP Image AwardOutstanding Actor in a Drama SeriesMykelti WilliamsonNominated
Online Film & Television Association Award[26]Best Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesNeal McDonoughNominated
Best Direction in a Drama SeriesJon Avnet (For the pilot episode)Nominated
Peabody AwardNBC Studios, in association with DreamWorks Television Inc., and Nemo FilmsWon[27]
Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Main Title Theme MusicPhilip GiffinNominated
Television Critics Association AwardProgram of the YearNominated
Outstanding Achievement in DramaWon
Outstanding New ProgramWon
Individual Achievement in DramaNeal McDonoughNominated
2004Satellite AwardBest Television Series – DramaNominated
Best Supporting Actor – Television Series – DramaNeal McDonoughWon

Home media

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Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released the first season of Boomtown on DVD in Region 1 on July 20, 2004. Season 1 was subsequently released in Region 2 as well. Despite strong sales of season 1 and popular demand on TV-DVD websites, season 2 was never released in the USA or UK. The season 2 episodes were made available on the french DVD box set Boomtown Complet, which also includes a short interview with French film critic Alain Carraze, who offers comments about the show. The DVD's released in the United States contain an optional commentary soundtrack by individuals who were involved in making the show but this is absent from the French and British DVD releases.

The Region 1 release has been discontinued and is now out of print.[28]

In February 2006, Viacom (now known as Paramount Skydance) purchased the live-action film and television assets of DreamWorks for $1.6 billion. This granted it partial ownership of Boomtown, as the show's underlying rights were originally split between NBC Studios and DreamWorks Television.[29][30] As of 2025, this show isn't available for streaming on NBCUniversal's streaming service Peacock, or Paramount's streaming services Pluto TV and Paramount+, but it was available on Amazon Prime Video before being removed in January 2021. NBCUniversal and Paramount have yet to release a complete series of the show on home video.

International distribution rights for the series are currently held by MGM.

References

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  1. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sep. 23-29)". The Los Angeles Times. October 2, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  2. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sep. 30-Oct. 6)". The Los Angeles Times. October 9, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  3. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 7-13)". The Los Angeles Times. October 16, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  4. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 14-20)". The Los Angeles Times. October 23, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  5. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 21-27, 2002)". The Los Angeles Times. October 30, 2002. Retrieved April 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  6. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 28-Nov. 3)". The Los Angeles Times. November 6, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  7. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 4-10)". The Los Angeles Times. November 13, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  8. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 11-17)". The Los Angeles Times. November 20, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  9. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 25-Dec. 1)". The Los Angeles Times. December 4, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  10. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 2-8)". The Los Angeles Times. December 11, 2002. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  11. ↑ "Broadcast & Cable Nielsens: Week Ending January 5, 2003". Ratings Ryan. August 2, 2022. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Broadcast & Cable Nielsens: Week Ending January 12, 2003". Ratings Ryan. August 10, 2022. Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  13. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 24-March 2, 2003)". Los Angeles Times. March 5, 2003. Retrieved June 10, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  14. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Mar. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times. March 12, 2003. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Mar. 10-16)". The Los Angeles Times. March 19, 2003. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  16. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 24–30, 2003)". The Los Angeles Times. April 2, 2003. Retrieved December 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  17. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Apr. 7-13)". The Los Angeles Times. April 16, 2003. Retrieved April 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  18. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 14–20, 2003)". The Los Angeles Times. April 23, 2003. Retrieved December 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  19. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 22-28, 2003)". The Los Angeles Times. October 1, 2003. Retrieved June 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. ↑ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 29-Oct. 5, 2003)". The Los Angeles Times. October 8, 2003. Retrieved June 6, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  21. 1 2 3 4 "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 22-28, 2003)". The Los Angeles Times. December 31, 2003. Retrieved June 1, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  22. ↑ "Boomtown: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Boomtown: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Graham Yost talks Justified, Speed, and… Full House?".
  25. ↑ West, Kelly (March 30, 2010). "Interview: Donnie Wahlberg Talks In Plain Sight". Cinemablend.
  26. ↑ "2002-03: The Season of Angels in America". Online Film & Television Association. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  27. ↑ 62nd Annual Peabody Awards Archived 2014-10-06 at the Wayback Machine, May 2003.
  28. ↑ "Boomtown: Season One (DVD 2004) - DVD Empire". dvdempire.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  29. ↑ Copyright notice in the credits for Boomtown, 2002.
  30. ↑ "Breaking News Archives | TVWeek".
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